Barnum’s Animals

I’m in the final weeks of training before the 28-mile race around NYC. I’ve been staggering long paddles with SUP surfing. The surfing seems to act as interval training, because it requires bursts of energy followed by calmly paddling for the next set. I also joined O2 fitness to augment my cardiovascular workouts. It’s so hot during the day that running is tough as is biking. I still go out, but mostly, I’m paddlign outside as much as possible.

I’ll try a short downwind run this afternoon and a long paddle tomorrow morning. Hopefully, by Saturday, I’ll put in 40+ miles.

Finishing up a project with Imed Studios on an interactive sales presentation for Boniva. KOL videos, a message from Sally Field, MOA animation and professional video hosts populate this soon-to-be osteoporosis extravaganza. The team at iMed is doing a great job of coordinating all the parts, along with Area23 who has been working side-by-side with us to generate the clinical content.

I’ve paddled 45 miles in the past 5 days. It’s beautiful out there early in the am. On Saturday at CB a loggerhead turtle popped it’s head out and we exchanged mutual WTF!s. Yesterday a pod of dolphins swam past while people on shore frantically screamed “SHARK!!!!” Gotta love the summer crowd. Coast Guard was wrangling a kayak camp of 25 kids who seemed stuck in the wind and current along bank’s channel. I’ll start bringing my camera.

I just wanted to thank every one of you for contributing to the paddle race around NYC in August. I reached my fundraising goal of $1500, allowing me to paddle in the race. Actually, I’m the leading fundraiser, nationally (and internationally) for the moment, which is sort of funny. If you want to donate, please donate to my friend and training partner, Jason Colclough. His fundraising page is: http://www.firstgiving.com/jasoncolclough

After the event, I’ll send you all photos of how it went, how much they raised for the Surfer’s Environmental Alliance, and for Autism Awareness programs like Surfers Healing. I truly appreciate your support and you can definitely count on me to help out wherever and whenever you need an extra hand.

This is a video of last year’s paddle. You can get an idea of what it might be like:
http://www.seapaddlenyc.org/node/24

I will send updates. I’m updating my facebook page and blog with paddling info if you want to keep track.

I just finished contributing/writing an interactive presentation for CIBA Vision through International Meetings & Science Inc. in Stamford, CT. We created a program from video segments and clinical information on one of CIBA Vision’s contact lens products. Great group of people on both client and agency side. It was a crazy schedule, but everyone pitched in to get it done. I always like projects like these—fast, furious, and effective.

I realize that I may have painted a brutal picture of the race course in the last post, but honestly, it’s an awesomely beautiful course. You’ve never seen WB, Figure 8 and Topsail until you’ve seen it from a a mile out on a paddleboard. With the right wind, it could be a blast. Dropping into windswells and riding for 50+ yards is like flying. For Jason, the whole course must have seemed like being an Eagle. I flew more like a fat goose.

If ANYONE is thinking of paddling this race, do it.  Paddle until you can’t paddle. Wave to a boat. No Shame. All Fame. You tried it. Now you get to sit back and drink a cold rink and heckle the other competitors. What race offers you that?

It’s about the challenge. It’s personal. Paddle your best and the placement will fall where it must. Hoenstly, if I wasn’t going to Chicago on Friday am, I’d do the race. And as I said in my last post, I think it’d make a great weekly route. The only thing I’d take really seriously is the inlets. I know I used the word “treacherous,” but really, they’ll just tie you up for a while. You’ll lose valuable energy and time. And once you go in, you have to get yourself out. Remember, in most of it, you can stand. And if worse comes to worse, don’t be too proud to kneel and paddle. It’s all part of the gig. So, I repeat, simply paddle wide of the inlets. No wave will connect you magically from one end to the other. And I know we all have that little mouse inside us that says, “Look! Cheese!” and you see teh spring and you see the bar and you know the trap is going to break your neck, but still, you say, “Look! The cheese!” Avoid the cheese.

Oh, and don’t carry a lot of crap. The last thing you want to screw with is a ton of crap. A wave will come along and yard sale you. A hat here. A gps there. A paddle there. Wear a leash so you only have to worry about your paddle when you fall. It’ll take between 2 and 3 hours, so bring water. Dick’s Sporting Goods has a hydration pack that’s like an incredibly light, small backpack for $13. I have a small (2L) camelback from Great Outdoor Provision Company for around $30-$40. If you need food, bring a gu pack instead of a powerbar, because it’s a pain to have to eat it, one bite at a time. Just squeeze a gu and go. Put the trash in your pocket.

I paddled the 12.5-mile Onslow Bay Challenge route yesterday with Jason and Brad. I had a tough time. The wind was ESE, which didn’t lend itself to a true downwinder. I paddled on my left side for about 90% of the time. Jason smoked us both by at least 30 minutes. The whole route took 3 hours, averaging about 4.14mph.

The three inlets were treacherous. Especially Rich’s Inlet, on the north side of Figure 8. Do not try to shoot the inlet. Go around. I’m not kidding. At times, I felt like I was a drunk on a carnival ride that wouldn’t stop.

I had some technical problems along the paddle. I have a new grip that worked through the skin on my fingers by mile 8. And, I slid my shin down the rail, cutting it and raising a lunp 5 inches long. Luckily, I have good clotting mechanisms, so the sharks only got a brief taste. Then, there were the bait balls. Huge dark clouds of baitfish, balled up by predators peppered the course. Huge Cobia, a baracuda chasing a needlefish, bluefish and pelicans all passed along the rails. Behind us, dark clouds billowed and thunder rumbled from a storm that wouldn’t hit until after midnight, but it was ominous enough to keep us paddling with purpose. I’m glad I had my camelback. I drank every bit of the 1.5 liters. I wished I had a cheeseburger at one point, but it probably wouldn’t have been very good endurance fare. I most likely would have had a rebate 30 minutes later.

At the end of the paddle, I remembered that old joke, “Aside from everything else, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the show?” It is a GREAT course, but tough. I’ll rest before paddling this course next time. It would make a great weekly paddle.

Monday, I paddled a flatwater route that was close to 10 miles. It was a cake-walk. I didn’t feel tired, and was pretty confident goign into yesterday’s paddle. I even surfed yesterday morning without concern over the toll on my body leading into the afternoon’s excursion. Today, I feel every mile, every fall, and every wave. I’m going to rest, ice, and stretch. Hopefully, I’ll heal enought o paddle on Thursday before heading to Chicago for the weekend.

While I’m not the Emily Post of surfing by any means, here are a
few rules to keep you surfing safely and having a good time:

Here’s the latest article, in the Lumina News: http://luminanews.com/article.asp?aid=4400&iid=169&sud=42

“Accumulated over the last 70 years, their stories and experiences are the stuff of legends. And more often than not, the hardest thing to get them to do is wipe the Cheshire Cat-style grin off their face as they describe the best job in the world…”

Latest article published in Wrightsville Beach Magazine:

http://wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com/article.asp?aid=509&iid=67&sud=27

“When you work in the recruiting business, you’re only as good as the people you represent. Working with John has given me “rock star” status with my clients, as he consistently delivers on time, every time. On site, off site, print, interactive, concepts, nuts and bolts…the guy just makes it happen. The fact that he’s a pleasure to work with is an added bonus. I highly recommend!”
—Lawton Taylor, Director at CGR/seven